Requirements and Tips

Your adoptive or foster parent is gay or lesbian.

You are at least 18 years old when applying.

You are enrolled in am institution of higher learning. Your course load must be at least 6 units / credits. Applicants from community, public, and private colleges, as well as graduate schools are invited to apply.

Must provide government issued proof of identity and school registration.

Must maintain, and provide proof of, a cumulative 2.0 G.P.A.

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Other words you’ll do well to read

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Applications received after the deadline will be disqualified. We will not respond for requests to consider late submissions–it isn’t fair to applicants who follow the rules.

Do not include your name or college in your essay.

Cannot be related to any principals or agents of childsupportlawyerla.com.

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Information gathered may be used for the purpose of evaluating applicants, determining eligibility, contacting award winner, and distributing funds, and evaluating the efficiency of the scholarship’s operations.

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By applying for this award, you give us permission to publish your response. Publication options are not limited to childsupportlawyerla.com.

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DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAY/LESBIAN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES

Discrimination against gay and lesbian people in the United States stretches back to the beginnings of the nation. Early European settlers held very conservative Christian beliefs, which held negative views against, and in some cases criminalized, homosexual behavior. The most common laws against homosexual activity were against so-called “buggery” and “sodomy” law.

In 1948 Alfred Kinsey published “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male,” which was the first work to scientifically analyze sexuality. In the study, Kinsey claimed that about 10% of the adult male population (and approximately 5% of the female population) was predominantly or exclusively homosexual for at least three years in a lifetime. This was a groundbreaking study because homosexuality had been considered taboo up until that point. However, after Kinsey’s study was published, the subject began to appear in more mainstream publications, such as Life and Time magazines. Further, throughout the late 1940s and 1960s, some new programs on radio and television produced episodes focused on homosexuality. In addition, some TV shows and movies featured gay characters or themes.

In 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in One, Inc. v. Olesen that the gay-themed publication One, Inc. did not qualify as “obscene” and was therefore protected by the First Amendment. In 1962, Illinois became the first state to decriminalize sodomy between consenting adults and over the years other states would follow suit. However, throughout the 1950s and 1960s the predominant position of the medical establishment was that homosexual behavior was a developmental maladjustment, thus categorizing it as a psychological condition. At the same time, the mid-1960s brought forth the sexual revolution, which greatly impacted gay rights and awareness.

In 2003, the Supreme Court rule din the Lawrence v. Texas case that consensual sex between adults is considered part of the liberty protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. Prior to this ruling, homosexual activity was still considered illegal in fourteen states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. military. In 2013, the Supreme Court found in United States v. Windsor that a section of the so-called “Defense of Marriage Act” that prevented the federal government from recognizing lawful same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Since that case, the federal government has recognized lawful same-sex marriages and now provides federal rights, privileges and benefits to those couples. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment and therefore cannot be prohibited by any state. As such, same-sex marriages are now considered valid and enforceable in all 50 states and jurisdictions governed by the Constitution.

While there has been great progress made in the struggle for gay rights, including whether its appropriate to adopt or have custody of children, there still remains a social stigma in many communities around the United States. However, it is fair to the say that the overall trend has been toward acceptance over time and that trend is likely to continue.